A man was shot and killed by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies early Sunday after he threw a burning can of gas at the officers.

The incident happened around 2:30 a.m. on Lewis Sailors Road after a woman called for help. The woman told officials the man, identified as Kenneth Dwayne Martin, 50, had doused her and the home with gas and was threatening to set her on fire along with the house.

After deputies arrived, the woman was able to escape the house uninjured, officials said.

Deputies subsequently entered the house where they found Martin in a closet pointing a weapon at officers, which later turned out to be a BB gun. Deputies couldn’t Taser the man because of the gas in the room, so they used pepper spray on the suspect.

Martin then lit a can of gas and threw the burning can toward deputies, who at that point fired several shots, killing the suspect. Although part of one deputy's polyester pants melted in the fiery melee, officials said the officers were not injured.

Fire department officials along with the deputies extinguished the fire from the incident.

Martin's body has been taken to the GBI crime lab. He was on probation for a previous aggravated assault charge against the same victim in 2007.

Following the department's protocol, the officers involved are on administrative leave pending review of the shooting.

PIPE BOMB

In an unrelated incident, deputies and the UGA Bomb Squad responded Saturday to a call where a man had found a pipe bomb in his yard while mowing. The man reportedly had kept the bomb in his house for several days before calling authorities.

The bomb squad detonated the device, which officials believe had been designed to throw into a pond to kill fish. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Our deputies do a great job.God be with that family that lost their loved one.And i agree with gracie.Some dont have anything to do but see who can give the most tickets.It really gives our city a bad name to drive on 335 or to kroger and see blue lights on every corner.

well your city residents needs to pay attention to their speeding because speed kills as well. I should know because I lost a dear friend because he wanted to disobey the speed laws and travel 75 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone and struck a telephone pole. The outcome was devastating and your little comment states that police don't need to govern people and their speed. You didn't go to his funeral so how dare you say it makes our city look bad. If the police did not do their job we would have a city with more senseless deaths and that MR. OR MRS. ANOYOMOUS (great spelling)would make our city look bad. Your thoughts tell me how very little thinking you do before you write a senseless opinion. SPEED KILLS PEOPLE AND WE DO NOT LIVE ON A RACETRACK. SLOWDOWN

Why was this even placed on the web?? This news article should not have been released at all until all the investigation is done to make sure the officers was in the right to have shot and killed the suspect, my heart and prayers out to all involved in this... Maybe the officers could have waited a few more before just going and rushing in they are trained to talk to people before taking such lethal actions yes I wasnt there and don know what went on but you do have to stop and think could this have came out any better?? This man needed help sometimes I blame the mental health system in Georgia for stepping up to the plate to make sure people dont get the help they need they just let them go and it ends up in a story like this... Again I dont know what went on I dont know if the man could have been talked down or if that was even tried just sad it ended the way it did for all involved...

you have NO idea what law enforcement goes thru to make a life changing event; so do you think the officers said hmmm let me ask what his intent is before I shoot. NO farmboy THEY MAKE A split decision and sometimes its a fatal one but that man put himself in that position not the officers. If his home life was bad he could have left but no one is forced to stay not even her if things are that bad (apparently they were) a person leaves. Sorry a man lost his life and for the his children going thru their loss as well but pouring gas on anything in a violent situation will NOT bring or make the situation better. He got dealt with and none of us can play monday morning quarter back. He lost.

boo hoo. I live in the city and I have children that play outside and I am very grateful they police do what they need to do. So cry baby gracie if you and others would slow down then u won't get a ticket if not I hope the PD writes you so my children play safe..

Sorry for the families who lost their loved one.To the deputies I know this is a hard time for you also.God be with each of you.Gracie,and anoyomous you have your opion.So voice it.This is not disrespect to anyone. Just opionated.

Wait the story said towards the end that the suspects body had been taken to the GBI crime Lab and his name hadn't been released pending notification of family BUT at the beginning of the story in the second paragraph it says the suspect was identified as Kenneth Dwayne Martin age 50? What's up with this is the reporter forgetting what they write OR was there more people involved in this than just Mr. Martin?

It is so devastating that the family had to find out about his death by reading this story. They had not even been contacted. The investigator, sheriff's office, and coroner refused to even tell the fam. if this man was alive or dead, but they don't have a problem blabbing to the local paper! And the paper doesn't tell all the facts. The deputies could have taken other preventative measures and possibly shot him in an extremety or something. They didn't have to take his life over a gas can. The wife is not the only victim here; Mr. Martin was a victim as well. My condolences to the family. Turn to God in your times of grief and despair. He said He would never leave you comfortless.

friend of the family- I agree with you about the family having to find out about his death by reading a story in the paper? The story shouldn't be published in the paper until the family has been contacted? But in the papers defense they can only write what they are told? The paper may not have been told the facts, the deputies may not have even known the facts? AND in the deputies defense they did what they were trained to do, protect citizens at all cost? And I don't think this man would have been arrested easy? He made a final stand and when OFFICERS are put in a life and death situation they only have two choices either risk dying or kill the man trying to kill them?

Maybe I misunderstood the story - his wife is the one who called deputies, so doesn't that mean that his family was with him at the time of the shooting? So wouldn't the family automatically have 'been notified'? And it really isn't our place to say what the deputies should or shouldn't have done unless we were actually in their position at the time. God be with the family and with the deputies. I imagine it wasn't an easy choice to make for them.

How about you and only you try this at home:
Light your pants on fire or your sleeve on fire. Your choice.
Now shoot at a moving target a few feet away. Don't aim for the center, try to nip the outer ring.
Report back to us and let us know how it works out for you.

Your battle is now over, no more tears flowing down your cheeks, no more pain, no more suffering, now you are no longer weak. I will never understand why this had to happen to you, but I am proud to say you are my father. Now you are my angel, so spread your wings out wide, please wrap them around me as I cry.
I loe you Daddy! My sweet precious Daddy!

If you read the story it says he was pointing a weapon at them. I am almost certain that they could not tell whether it was a BB gun. Deputies not only have to think about the citizens that they protect and serve, their fellow deputies, and themselves. They have families that they have to think about also. We will never know what was going through the deputy's mind. I can tell you this wasn't an easy choice for the deputies to make. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Martin family and the deputies that were involved and their families as well because the families are effected also.

Kenneth Martin is my uncle. He WAS NOT a violent person. Anyone that knew him would agree. I DO NOT agree with what happened, and even if I wasn't related to the victim I still wouldn't agree with the actions of the officers. According to the newspaper they wouldn't taser him because the house was filled with gasoline, but yet it was ok for them to fire several shots KILLING my uncle!! Yeah that makes perfect sense... None of us know the truth about what happened, and more than likely we never will, but there is one thing for certain My poor uncle Kenneth is finally free of that PSYCHOTIC WOMAN who claims to be his wife!! SO uncle Kenneth, I hope you're able to rest in peace now, pain free, and happy finally!! Up in Heaven with Granny Martin!!

Misty- If your uncle was not a violent person THEN WHY DID HE HAVE A GUN AND A CAN OF GAS? Sure he may have never been arrested for being violent BUT there was a problem in that house OR his wife wouldn't have called the law? AND why was he holding a gun and a can of gas(it don't mater if it was a BB gun or an AK-47) the oficers can't take those extra seconds to figure out what he's holding?
BUT let's use your LOGIC: Ok if the oficer had taken the extra time to ask him was it a real gun or a toy and it was an automatic weapon every oficer in that house could have ben killed and he was threating to set his wife on fire('m sorry but that is violent) The officers had to make a split second decison of what the sspects intentions were and no one put in this situation is going to decide Oh I bet it is a toy? People get shot all the time for pointing cell phones, toy guns, or what evr at cops. WHY YOU THINK THEY TELL YOU TO PUT YOUR HANDS UP? If he had his hands up and they shot him anyway? You may have an arguement BUT in this case I don't think so.

FJCR- I am not trying to argue about anything just stating my opinion on my uncles death! Everyone has an opinion that's what it is AN OPINION!!!! So please take your opinion and bull elsewhere because our family is dealing with enough.

Misty- I am truely sorry for your loss BUT this is the path YOUR uncle chose to go down? AND the way he wanted to handle it? SO let me ask you Did he have a gun? Did he have a can of gas? Both can be considered deadly weapons. AND from a few feet away some BB guns look real.
Ok lets say the officers did take a second look to figure out if the gun being pointed at them was real or not and lets say the gun was real and he shot and killed an officer before being shot and killed himself would you say Oh well the officer knew the risk when he took the job?

To everyone on this web site, I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop all this unneccessary drama.. Point blank, my father is dead, he was sick, he had already attempted to take his own life less than a month ago. Nothing will bring him back, I was not there nor was anyone arguing about this case. We all need to leave it in the Lords hands. If you would like to know a little insight of the past 7 years of my fathers life, I will greatly share with you. Sometimes things in life, situations you can not get out of due to manipulation and decietful people in your life, you go over edge. My dad was once a deacon of the church, a good man, a new born Christian. When people become sick and weak they act out of character. I realize everything in this case and do I have questions. How is a house covered in gas, Cheryl covered in gas, and my dad covered in gas, and then the can of gas light up and thrown at officers.. I just want to know where all the gas came from. Just because it is published in a news paper does not mean it is the whole truth. And I will direct all my concerns to the officials. But the obvious is, my father the man who gave me life is dead, he will never get to walk me down the ailse, see my first child, and was unable to see the woman I have became over the past three years due to his home life and the strain it would place on him to have a relationship with me. It takes two to tango and this was by far their first rodeo. The Lord saw, my father was in a situation, he could not escape, so he called him home, as tragic as it is, I can rejoyce in knowing he is not suffering anymore. You can not mix oil and vinegar, and that is what my fathers marriage was. The devil was so strong in that house.. everyone is intitiled to their own opinion, but you should keep it within your own home and realize this only makes it harder on the loved ones.. Like I said this is my Daddy, and I will not sit back and allow this nonsense and be silent about it all.. Please direct your negativity elseware.

Myndy Martin- You are right NOBODY that is posting opnions here was there and NOBODY can sit back and describe the events that led up to this,NOBODY knows what was going through his mind right before this happen,NOBODY knows what happen to drive this man (ANY MAN) to this point? BUT I do know how depression can lead to things like this. I was lucky I got help? So lets squash this right now?
AND I am truely sorry for your loss and your Daddy looks very familar like I've met him before?

Thank you! I have asked the news paper to delete all comments and make it where no one can post on here.. this was my only way until today to confirm my fathers death and when people say hurtful things no matter how wrong the situation is, he is my father and I have to protect him if possible and I will always be behind him 100%.

Myndy- I know what you mean. It's like if your Daddy was the sorriest man on the planet? He is still your Daddy He gave you life and you have a bond with him that no one can fill but him and for that you have to defend him? Or you don't have to BUT YOU WILL DEFEND HIM UNTIL THE END.

Read #17 again. Life is cheap for the police. He received the death penalty without a trial. They could have backed off and given the guy some time to think. There is a lack of respect for human life in police training. Like I said, I could have arrested him without killing him. I am 100% sure of that. The house may have burned down, he may have killed himself but I wouldn't have filled him full of lead with 3 officers firing as fast as they could. This is wrong. Every effort should be made to preserve life. Killing should be done only as an absolute last resort. Why wasn't he shot in the leg? Filled full of lead. That's all I need to know.

Michael- It's easy to sit behind your computer after the fact and say what YOU would have done BUT NOBODY can sit there Now that it's over and say what they would have done? Until you are put in that situation you can't say what you would do. AND since YOU are so pro life and since YOU say YOU could have handled this without killing anyone and since YOU think our officers just want to shoot first and ask questions later why don't YOU become a cop so you can handle all calls without violence? You talk about how bad the law is BUT YOU'RE not willing to do anything to make a change?

If the news article is correct and reported properly then put yourself in the shoes of the Police Officers. None of us can second guess them and their thoughts of their loss of life and going home to their family in one piece.

It is NOT normal for a NORMAL person to have this sort of behavior as reported. The end result was death.

Sorry for the loss but 1 is better than many.

It sounds if the man wanted death by cop.

And don't think for a second the police who did what they thought was best will have an easy time with it either. They have to live with the results and you can bet there will be some "what if" for them as well.

This was my ex-brother-in-law. He was a nice guy, his only problem was his wife treating him like s***, she made him the way he was. Kenneth would give you the shirt off his back. I wish everyone that didn't know him would keep there opinion to their selves. I only wish Myndy and Brandon had not found out that their Dad had died in the paper.

Brandon, Mindy May God be with you all and the family. I really don't know what to say and or even feel.... I will not voice anger and or try to tell any of you that none of you have a clue..I'm sorry for his Children after talking to Mindy it's just hard to know what i really feel. But Misty you really need to rethink the not VIOLENT part

Michael- Even though I told this mans daughter I was done with this and wouldn't keep pouring salt on an open wound. That I would let this rest? I have to respond to you. No disrespect to the man who died or his family?BUT the officers had no choice but to use deadly force? No.1 the man had a gun? No.2 the man DIDN"T give up? No.3 the man threw a burning can of gas at officers? You ever hear of the three strikes rule? A man throws a burning can of gas at you and you have a split second to make a decision of weather you are going to shoot or burn up? You don't have time to have a meeting and talk it over with Donuts and coffee? I hate this happen for the family but the truth is this man made his decision?

Michael- I have 2/3 of a brain they took 1/3 of it out? I have more than half? AND NO I wasn't inviting you out for coffee and donuts. WHAT I WAS SAYING wAS did you expect the officers to have a meeting with coffee and donuts to decide if they would shoot or not?

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